Rutherford's smear campaign (a must read)

by Leolaia 198 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  cantleave

  BTTT
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  Leolaia

  And here are descriptions of the shunning by some of the people who shunned the Moyles:

  #41
  C. HILTON ELLISON
  Q. After Mr. Howlett paid the visit to the Milwaukee company, what effect, if any, did it have upon the division and doubts that were in the minds of the brethren attending the congregation? A. The division was much more marked after that....Q. And those who had not affiliated themselves with Mr. Moyle but who had expressed doubt, did it have any effect upon them as to these charges that Mr. Moyle had made before the congregation? A. They up to that time had come to the conclusion that he was not in harmony with the Society, and therefore they avoided him, as we were told to in the Scriptures. Q. What effect did the article entitled "Information" have upon the minds of these brethren who had such doubts? A. That article confirmed the understanding and the thoughts of those who were opposed to the action taken by Moyle. Q. And those who were indifferent or who were in doubt, did it help them? A. Those who were indifferent or in doubt, it helped them and showed them that Moyle wasn't in harmony with the Society. Q. Tell us what course of action did Mr. Moyle and his friends take in the congregation? A. I would say they came to the meetings but took no part in them, simply sat there during the meetings and then left....

  Q. You read the article in the September 1st "Watch Tower", did you not? A. I did. Q. That he was dismissed because he was unfaithful? A. Yes, sir. Q. And you accepted that statement as the word of God's agent, didn't you? A. I accepted it, yes, sir. Q. And that was enough evidence for you to determine that Mr. Moyle acted improperly. A. That is right. Q. So from that time on, you became unfriendly to Mr. Moyle? A. To a certain extent, yes.... Q. You recall the article in the "Watch Tower" of October 15, 1939, entitled "Information," do you? A. Yes, sir....Q. Where he is called a Judas and a murmurer and some other things? A. Yes. Q. And you accepted that also as the words of God's agent? A. As a confirmation of what I knew....Q. And you did not make any investigation about that article? A. No....Q. So you became more unfriendly after you read that article, did you not? A. Yes....Q. You were friendly enough with Mr. Moyle in August to give him a couch, were you not? A. Yes, sir. Q. So this abrupt change of attitude on your part came after September 1st? A. Well, it came after -- I wouldn't say positively it came after September 1st.....

  #42
  GUY PAULOS
  Q. Did the conduct of Mr. Moyle in the company at Milwaukee cause any disturbance or division or strife in the company? A. Very much so.... there was no peace in that company. Many brothers and sisters came up to me and asked me and discussed the thing, how terrible things were since Moyle appeared in that class; everything was peaceful and fine, never had any trouble, and his appearing caused so much trouble and talking about things....Q. Did you have any conversation with Mr. Fink in reference to Judge Rutherford and Mr. Moyle?.... A. There was a discussion about three-quarters of an hour, and he begin to tell what he done down at the Bethel home -- Q. Who began to tell? A. Fink, about the whole situation, and he condemning the action of the Society, especially Judge Rutherford, and I told Mr. Fink the course of Mr. Moyle was unscriptural. I called attention what Jesus said in Matthew 18, "If thy brother do something wrong to you, go up to your brother and tell about it, and if he won't listen to you, take two or three more brethren and go up and tell him in a Christian manner." And I asked, "Did he do that or not?" "Why," he says, "he couldn't do that. Judge Rutherford, he will rebuke him and he will kick him out of there. So he thought better to put it in letter form." ... I told him I do not believe that for the reason the course that Moyle took was unscriptural, and therefore I could not believe it was right....Q. Your objection here this morning is that Mr. Moyle wrote a letter to Mr. Rutherford, isn't it? A. My whole objection is his course of action was unscriptural....Q. So you thought that was wrong in his writing the letter? A. Unscriptural, that is right. Q. And from that time on, you were unfriendly to Mr. Moyle? A. That is right. Q. And you never made an investigation of the facts contained in that letter, did you? A. I heard word by word...

  Q. And you read the "Watch Tower" of September 1, 1939, which said he was dismissed because he was unfaithful? A. That is right. Q. And you agreed with that? A. I did. Q. And you made no investigation of it; you accepted that statement in the "Watch Tower"? A. I accepted it because it was unscriptural. Q. We did not ask you whether it was unscriptural. Did you accept it? A. I did....Q. You heard that Mr. Moyle was asked to leave within 24 hours from Bethel; did you hear that? A. No. Q. Is there anything in the Scriptures that condones asking a man to get out within 24 hours after he had been in an organization for four years? A. There is, in Corinthians. The Apostle Paul writes "For a certain person," he says, "absent in my body was present in spirit. Get out that wicked one at once". ... Q. You think it is all right to let a man go on less than 24 hours' notice after he has been there for four years? A. The Bible says "Avoid them".

  #43
  HERBERT W. HARKBARTH
  Q. And you recall that in that [September 1st] article there was something said about Mr. Moyle being let out of the Society because he was unfaithful? A. Yes, sir. Q. And you accepted that, didn't you? A. Yes. Q. Because it came from the Lord's organization? A. Yes. Q. So you believed it from what you heard? A. Yes, sir. Q. That caused unfriendliness, that article, to Mr. Moyle, did it not, amongst the group in your class? A. Well, I don't know whether it caused unfriendliness towards Mr. Moyle.... Q. After Mr. Howlett had made his visit there what, if anything, did its effect have upon the company? A. There was a disturbance, a confusion or parting. Q. After Mr. Howlett's visit or before? A. More, after. Q. What happened after he came there in reference to the confusion? A. A number of them left the organization. Q. How many? Who did they follow in leaving? A. Why, I can't just speak of who they followed, but they left. Q. How many left? A. Two. Q. Who were they? A. Mrs. Anna Roberts and Carl Otto. Q. After they had left was there peace and harmony in the organization after that? A. Well, sort of a disturbance to this day yet.
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  jgnat

  It is something to see the effect of this schism and the shunning even months later. People are disturbed. I would say the effect of shunning on families and congregations to this day is about the same.
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  Leolaia

  jgnat....Indeed. There was no schism or controversy in that congregation until the Society made it into one. The Moyles were welcomed into the congregation enthusiastically, and although there were questions about why he retired from Bethel, it wasn't a big deal. It was not until the Watchtower started publishing attacks on his character that Moyle felt he needed to broadcast the letter in order to defend himself and tell his side of the story; he had been pretty quiet about what happened at Bethel up to then.
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  Leolaia

  Then the 15 November 1939 issue of the Watchtower published yet another piece about Moyle, this time a study article:

  
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  King Solomon

  So the lesson there was, don't piss off the Judge?

  Rutherford let Moyle have it with BOTH barrels, lol, taking no prisoners!

  Irony being, by protesting Moyle's disclosure of confidential matters, Rutherford in fact was doing the SAME (arguably worse), airing Bethel's dirty laundry in public via the publishing might of the Mighty WTBTS printing presses!

  (and you've got to wonder how the average publisher managed to sell THAT article at the door: what sales pitch do you think they used to explain the topic? )

  Ps are we getting closer to finding a smoking gun to explain word choice of "discreet"?
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  Leolaia

  So this rant by J. F. Rutherford accused Moyle of feigning goodness, of being perverse, of being motivated by fear of creatures, of assaulting the organization with false and evil words. Rutherford claimed that Moyle wrote the letter as an excuse to return to worldly pursuits. And Rutherford characterized Moyle's retiring from public service as a damnable outrage; Moyle is viewed as turning his back on God, making himself unfit for the kingdom of God. Whatever service and sacrifices he made count for nothing. Moyle is here called, 1) a murmurer 2) a complainer 3) an enemy of God's organization 4) a hypocrite, 5) an indulger of evil speech 6) selfsh, and via biblical allusion, 7) a filthy dreamer, and 8) a brute beast. And elsewhere in the article, Rutherford even suggested that Moyle was guilty of mishandling cases in court:

  
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  Leolaia

  Here is some of the fallout over the "Snares" study article:

  #44
  PHOEBE MOYLE
  Q. Did you find that the people that you knew, the Jehovah people, subsequent to November 15, 1939, were less friendly or more friendly? A. They were much less friendly. There were many of them who wouldn't recognize us. Q. That had been friends before, is that what you mean? A. Yes; had been friends for years, some fifteen or twenty years.

  #45
  JOSEPH T. JACOBSQ. When did you first learn of this complaint made by Mr. Moyle? A. After September 1st. I was up in the northern part of Wisconsin spending my vacation. Q. And how did you learn of it? A. Through the "Watch Tower"....Q. What did you do after you read that article? A. Well, I read it and I showed it to my wife and I was stunned by the contents. Q. Did you ever see a copy of the letter that Mr. Moyle wrote? A. I did, later on in September. Q. And how did you see that? A. I wanted to know the other side and Mr. Moyle gave me the letter....
  
  Q. And did you read the article entitled, "Snares" that was published in the "Watch Tower" on November 15th? A. I did...Q. And what, if anything, did you notice about the attitude at the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses toward Mr. Moyle and his family after that article was published? A. It continued, the same condition. Q. How did the people in the meeting act towards Mr. Moyle? A. They shunned Mr. Moyle most of the time. ...Q. Was there any meeting that you attended where any discussion was held with reference to this article "Snares"? A. In little groups when we got together, but not in a public manner....Q. Where did these meetings take place? A. I attended meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and there were some discussions about these articles. Q. Give us the details about those discussions. A. The Jehovah's Witnesses, the ones I came in contact with, believed the articles as stated in the "Watch Tower". Q. And what attitude did they exhibit towards Mr. Moyle? A. They showed animosity towards him and they wouldn't— Q. Did they avoid him? A. They avoided him on every occasion....
  
  Q. Do you know Mr. Ellison? A. I do. Q. Who is he? A. I believe he was the Company's Servant after Harvey Fink was dismissed. Q. Was there any statement made by Mr. Ellison about his attitude towards Mr. Moyle in any meeting or in any group? A. At one time on a Sunday evening when we left — that was the last meeting we were there — we went over to Mr. Ellison, three of us, and Mr. Meyer, Mrs. Jacobs and myself, and Mrs. Jacobs said to Mr. Ellison: "The Watch Tower is not going to tell us who our friends are," and the retort was, by Mr. Ellison, "I wouldn't have anything to do with Mr. Moyle." Q. Was this after the "Snares" article? A. It was..... Q. Do you recall an incident which occurred in which the study leader, Mr. Worth, was involved? A. I do. Q. Will you tell us the details about that. A. There was a little group started around Brown Deer [near Milwaukee] and the meetings were held at Mr. Meyer's home and Mr. Worth came to the meeting...Q. About what date? A. It was in the fall of 1939. Q. Was it after November 15th? And after the "Snare" articles? A. Yes, sir, after all these occurrences....Q. What took place there? A. Mr. Worth told Mr. Meyer that he would have to disassociate me because I was slowly and surely going out of the truth and he further told Mr. Meyer, if I persisted — if I persisted in this course I would go into the second death.
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  Leolaia

  Meanwhile, the copy of Moyle's letter that his sister Laura sent around to Lake Mills, Columbus, and Waupun Companies in defense of her brother resulted in much discussion and questioning of the Society:

  #46
  WILLIS FENNEMA
  Q. Did you know Laura and Leland Rouse? A. Yes. Q. What connection, if any, did they have with either of those companies [of Waupun and Columbus]? A. They were the ones that were helping them out pertaining to getting knowledge of the Bible. They were pioneers at that time and they were carrying out studies for the purpose of helping us get an understanding of the Scriptures. Q. In August 1939 they were in Columbus or some other part of Wisconsin? A. They were working in that territory...Q. Do you recall seeing a copy of a letter dated July 21, 1939, addressed to J. F. Rutherford? A. Yes, I did. Q. And signed by O. R. Moyle? A. Yes. Q. From whom did you receive or see such a copy? A. It was sent to the Columbus company, sent by Laura and Leland Rouse to the Columbus company. Q. And when was that? A. That was in the first part of September, 1939. Q. Was the letter read to the company? A. Yes, it was. It was read by me to the company....Q. What effect, if any, did the reading of the letter of July 21st have upon the Columbus company? A. It caused a very great disturbance amongst the company...

  Q. You say that the Rouses had been instrumental in helping many of the brethren in the company, is that right? A. That is right, and we relied upon them very much. Q. Did the reading of the letter and the discussion of it cause a division in the Columbus company? A. Yes, yes, it did. Q. To what extent? A. There is one family in particular that left on that very account, and that family was my brother-in-law. Q. Were you present in the Waupun company when this same letter was read before that company? A. Yes, I was. Q. What effect, if any, did the reading of that letter have upon the Waupun company? A. It had a great effect on them. It really caused a disturbance there also. Q. What attitude did the Waupun and Columbus company have towards the Society prior to the time this letter was read? A. They were very strong in favor of the Society....Q. How long did the discussions continue in the company with reference to the charges made in the letter of O. R. Moyle? A. I couldn't say exactly, but I think it continued for a long period of time.

  #47
  Z. ALLEN BOURNE
  Q. In what connection was it that you had with the company at Lake Mills at that time? A. I was the company servant....Q. What effect, if any, did the circulation of this letter in that company have upon the members of the company? A. It caused the members of the company to doubt the sincerity of the president of the Society and to doubt the purpose of the Society and caused confusion and a condition of unharmony. Q. What happened as a result of that condition? A. Well, the first thing that happened as a result, I made it my business to call on these people and get their attitude, and I found that approximately three of the active families associated with that company were doubtful as to the purposes of the Society? A. And they had been visited by Leland and Laura Rouse? A. Yes, sir, they had. Q. Was Leland and Laura Rouse associated with that company and attending the meetings? A. Yes, they were....Q. Did any of the company break away or leave the Congregation? A. Yes, they did. Q. Well now, how many, please? A. About three of the five families.
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  Leolaia

  The copy of the letter that Moyle sent to a member of Kenosha Company, and the Society's reaction to it, led to a large defection in that congregation:

  #48
  BILL THARP
  Q. When did you first learn that Mr. Moyle had returned from Brooklyn and was no longer living at Bethel? A. I knew that he was going to before he returned....There was a lady by the name of Schrader in the Kenosha company who corresponded with Mr. and Mrs. Moyle. She received a card from them, I believe it was the latter part of July, which stated that they would be associated with the Milwaukee company following their vacation...Q. Do you know whether or not you never saw a copy of the letter of Mr. O. R. Moyle to J. F. Rutherford, dated July 21, 1939? A. I don't remember the date, but I read the letter which was supposed to have been a copy of the one that went to Mr. Rutherford. Q. Where did you see the letter? A. From the same lady, Mrs. Schrader...Q. You were the company servant. Do you know whether or not that letter of O. R. Moyle addressed to J. F. Rutherford was circulated in the Kenosha company? A. It wasn't circulated from one to another, but each one that wished to read it had the opportunity to read it and did read it...I remember one Mr. Pollack reading it. I saw him read it. And there were others there, but I cannot remember their names. They were associated with the Kenosha company....Q. Tell us what effect that had upon the unity of the Kenosha company of Jehovah's witnesses. A. It caused a great deal of discussion and perplexity in the Kenosha company. Q. As a result of this letter, what happened to the Kenosha company of which you were the company servant? A. There was a dissension and a division....Q. Could you tell what effect, if any, the visit of Mr. Howlett had upon the company that then remained? A. It made the division more apparent. Those who were for the Society became more united, and those who were for Moyle quit coming to the company studies.... Q. Were there any that pulled away from the company as a result of the circulation of that letter? A. Yes. Q. How many? A. Before I left, there were three families in Kenosha and one west of Kenosha. Q. What portion of the Kenosha company pulled away? A. That would be about a third of the company, at least. Q. By the time you left? A. Yes.

  #49
  JOSEPH SKAEL
  Q. Did you ever see a copy of the letter dated July 21st, addressed to J. F. Rutherford and signed by O. R. Moyle? A. Yes, I have. Q. When and where? A. I saw this about the first part of September at the Kenosha company Sunday meeting. Q. Was it at the Sunday meeting? A. That is right. Q. Who had the letter? A. Mrs. Schrader had the letter. She was passing it around to friends who wanted to read the letter. Q. Was she a member of the Kenosha company of Jehovah's Witnesses? A. Mrs. Schrader was, yes. Q. How many people were connected with that company? A. There were about 30 people connected with the company at that time....Q. What effect, if anything, did the letter have upon the Kenosha company of Jehovah's Witnesses? A. It caused a whole lot of confusion. Q. And as a result of that confusion what happened? A. A great breaking away from the company took place...Q. About how many people broke away from the Kenosha company as a result of the confusion and dissension that you have described? A. From the time that Moyle returned from Brooklyn up to date there are about 26 members that broke away from the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.